PERMANET at Raw Materials Week 2025: driving collaboration and innovation for Europe’s CRM resilience

PERMANET took part in one of the most important European events dedicated to the future of raw materials, the Raw Materials Week 2025, contributing to the strategic discussion on the security and sustainability of Critical Raw Materials (CRMs). On 21 November, Kristiina Jokelainen (SmartNorth Ltd), Operational Coordinator of the project, represented PERMANET at the side event “Crossroads of Innovation: Shared Challenges and Joint Solutions in Raw Materials”, organised by the Iberian Sustainable Mining Cluster.

The session brought together EU-funded projects, industry stakeholders and policymakers to address key bottlenecks affecting CRM value chains and to present concrete solutions developed within Horizon Europe initiatives.

Cross-project collaboration as a strategic enabler

A central takeaway from the discussion was the crucial role of collaboration across projects operating along the entire value chain, from primary to secondary and recycled raw materials.
Within this framework, PERMANET is building a Sustainable REE Innovation and Supply Network, aimed at strengthening a resilient, sustainable and competitive European supply of permanent magnets.

The exchange with fellow projects, including REESOURCE, REMHub, START and RESQTOOL, clearly showed how sharing knowledge, results and long-term visions can significantly accelerate impact on Rare Earth Elements (REE) and Permanent Magnet (PM) value chains.

Key priorities for Europe’s strategic autonomy

The debate highlighted three essential directions for the future of Europe’s raw materials ecosystem:

• Boosting competitiveness requires removing regulatory barriers and fostering innovation ecosystems capable of delivering real-world impact.
• Public funding must act as a catalyst for private investment through more flexible and synergistic financing mechanisms.
• Stronger cooperation among EU-funded initiatives is vital to reinforce REE and PM value chains and generate long-term value.

A shared vision for long-term impact

PERMANET’s participation in Raw Materials Week once again confirmed its role as a connector between research, industry and policy. The dialogue with partners and peer projects, and the valuable contributions from experts such as Iryna Riabchuk, Nabeel Mancheri, Duygu Yilmaz and Merie Kannampuzha, reflects a common understanding: only through coordinated action can Europe secure a sustainable and reliable supply of critical raw materials.

By turning collaboration into concrete outcomes, PERMANET continues to contribute to Europe’s strategic autonomy in the permanent magnet sector.